Now, I need to send this web address to my friend who I'm sharing files with.
Unlike loading normal websites in Tor Browser, when you load onion websites, there is no Tor exit node that could spy on the traffic - all of the traffic stays within the Tor network. HTTPS adds a layer of encryption between a web browser and a web server, but Tor onion services are already end-to-end encrypted, so HTTPS is not necessary (it's also not feasible without browser warnings: Let's Encrypt doesn't sign HTTPS certificates for. You can still use v2 onion addresses if you want by going into Settings and choosing "Use legacy addresses".Īlso, you might notice that the OnionShare address is using HTTP and not HTTPS, but this is actually perfectly fine. V3 onions are much more secure than v2 onions for a variety of reasons, but they can be a bit unwieldy and hard to type (for example, if you're using OnionShare to move files between two computers that are both in front of you). These are onion addresses that look like lldan5gahapx5k7iafb3s4ikijc4ni7gx5iywdflkba5y2ezyg6sjgyd.onion, as opposed to the old v2 kind, that look like elx57ue5uyfplgva.onion. This is also new in OnionShare 2: By default, it uses next generation Tor onion services, also known as v3 onion addresses. Next generation onion servicesĪfter clicking the button, I wait a few seconds, and then OnionShare gives me an unguessable Tor address to share. Now, to make them accessible to someone else, I just click "Start sharing".
Onionshare logo code#
I've dragged all of the files that make up the OnionShare source code into the window. The reason for two separate buttons in the macOS version is a bit complicated, but boils down to a cool new security feature: The macOS sandbox is turned on in OnionShare 2, which means that even if someone manages to exploit a vulnerability in OnionShare to try to hack your computer, they still won't be able to access your data or run programs on your computer without first escaping the sandbox.
Onionshare logo windows#
In Windows and Linux there's just a single "Add" button that lets you select both files and folders. Alternatively, you can click the "Add Files" and "Add Folder" buttons to browse your filesystem. To securely and anonymously share files with someone, just drag and drop the files into the OnionShare window. Once you're connected, you're in the "Share Files" tab (I'll talk more about the new "Receive Files" tab below). When you first open it, it connects to the Tor network. Only open things from people you trust, or if you know what you are doing.OnionShare addresses are ephemeral by default.
Onionshare logo zip#
Onionshare logo download#
It works by starting a web server directly on your computer and making it accessible as an unguessable Tor web address that others can load in Tor Browser to download files from you, or upload files to you. OnionShare is an open source tool for securely and anonymously sending and receiving files using Tor onion services. OnionShare 2 adds anonymous dropboxes, supports new Tor addresses, and is translated into a dozen new languagesĪfter nearly a year of work from a growing community of developers, designers, and translators, I'm excited that OnionShare 2 is finally ready.